Paul Riley Named 2018 NWSL Coach of the Year

CHICAGO (Sep. 26, 2018) – North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley was voted National Women’s Soccer League 2018 Coach of the Year, the NWSL announced today.

Riley, 55, has guided his team to their second straight NWSL Shield with a 17-1-6 record and, with a 3-0 win last Saturday, became the first coach to secure the Shield and the Championship Trophy in the same season. This is Riley’s second Coach of the Year award, after he led the Courage to the league’s best record in their first season in North Carolina last year.

Seattle Reign coach Vlatko Andonovski and Portland Thorns’ Mark Parsons were second and third in the voting, respectively.

2018 Coach of the Year Voting Results

Coach

FANS

MEDIA

CLUB

PLAYER

TOTAL

Paul Riley

31.3%

50.0%

44.4%

41.9%

41.9%

Vlatko Andonovski

23.5%

28.4%

33.3%

43.4%

34.4%

Mark Parsons

45.2%

21.6%

22.2%

14.7%

23.7%

North Carolina’s 57 points on the season were 15 points more than any other team in the NWSL. The Courage set NWSL records for most wins (17), points (57), fewest losses (1), most goals scored (53), fewest goals allowed (17), goals against average (.71) and largest goal differential (+36). They also became the first team in NWSL history to go unbeaten on the road for an entire season.

Riley becomes the second coach to win back-to-back Coach of the Year honors after fellow England native Laura Harvey won the award in 2014 and 2015 with the Seattle Reign FC.

Riley’s Courage played in their second straight NWSL championship last Saturday, September 22. His side pulled off a dominant 3-0 victory over Portland Thorns FC, capturing the club’s first NWSL Championship since the team relocated to North Carolina prior to the 2017 season.

List of NWSL Coaches of the Year:

YEARCOACHCLUB

2013 Vlatko Andonovski FC Kansas City

2014 Laura Harvey Seattle Reign

2015 Laura Harvey Seattle Reign

2016 Mark Parsons Portland Thorns

2017 Paul Riley North Carolina Courage

2018 Paul Riley NC Courage

The NWSL awards are voted on by club officials, players, media that cover the league on a consistent basis and fans.